The Story Of A Stormy Night
by Ruselly Adita
Summary: Fate brought them together but later on the circumstances tore them apart. May be because God had thought something better for them .
1. Chapter 1

**|::|The Story Of A Stormy Night|::|**

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The windows were open and gentle night breeze was blowing outside. Due to the breeze the drawn curtains of the room were fluttering loosely. It was moonlit night and moon light was peeping in the room through the curtains but the room was still dark. A dim light was also trying to dispel the darkness by its faint gleam but failed.

Abhika was lying on the bed, holding a corner of Tarika's dress firmly. Tarika was running her hand in Abhika's head and humming a song. She was trying her best to lull her daughter to sleep but all her efforts went in vain. She found in semi-darkness that Abhika's eyelids were still trembling. Tarika sighed.

"Abhika come on baby, go to sleep. Mom has works to do", she said.

Listening to her mom's soft voice Abhika carefully opened her eyes and found Tarika staring at her. She looked at her mother with her big and guiltful eyes and said, "Mom kya main ek story sun sacti hoon? Please ek last wala."

Her pleading eyes melted Tarika's heart and she kissed on her daughter's forehead.

"Accha thik hai. Ek story aur uski baad aap so jaogi aur mom ko bilkul disturb nahi karogi", Tarika told her and a broad smile curved on the little girls tiny lips.

"Okay!" Abhika exclaimed and put her little hands around her mom's neck. Tarika snuggled up against the pillows and settled herself.

"Mom mujhe wo pappa wali story sunni hai", Abhika demanded.

Listening to her demand Tarika's eyes filled with tears. She turned her face and wiped her tear so that Abhika didn't see her crying. She carefully controlled her emotions but it wasn't easy. As the days were passing it was becoming difficult for Tarika to hide the bitter truth from her little daughter. Abhika always kept asking about her father but Tarika had no answer to give her.

"Um..Abhika aaj na mom lori sunayegi aapko aur story kal sun lena. Pappa wali! Thik hai?" Tarika suggested.

Abhika seemed to be disappointed but gave a nod and hugged her mom tightly and closed her eyes. Tarika wiped her hand over Abhika's cheeks and ran her figures in her hair and hummed a lullaby and soon her loveable daughter fall in sleep. Tarika slowly left the bed and sat on the edge of the window and undrawn the curtains slightly. Her curly locks were brushing on her face due to the breeze. She moved a wisp of hair from her face and tucked them behind her ear. She couldn't help letting out a sigh. She leaned her back against the wall and closed her eyes.

**Flashback**

**6 years back**

_The whole team including Forensic Experts were invited to a wedding ceremony of a renowned business person. When they reached, the ceremony already had begun so they went towards the wedding mandap where the couple were taking the wedding bows. The guests were strewing flowers at them and the CID officers also joined them. Tarika was strewing flowers at them and suddenly she felt the loose end of her saree was stuck with something. As she averted her face beside to see what it got stuck with she found Abhijeet. It was stuck with his sherwani. She was shy and she tried to slacken her saree but then her bangles got stuck with his sherwani. Abhijeet smiled mischievously. Tarika was feeling embarrassed and looking around carefully if anyone had noticed them but all were busy with themselves. She blushed scarlet. With a haste she pulled her hand holding the end of her saree and moved near Dr Salunkhe. Abhijeet chuckled himself seeing her so uncomfortable. During the ceremony Tarika stayed along with Salunkhe so that she didn't have to face Abhijeet after that embarrassing situation. They came together but in their owns cars. _

_So after the wedding ceremony everyone got in their cars and drove off to their homes. Suddenly in the midway Tarika's car stopped as the fuel tank was empty. It was dark and there was nobody around except her. Her heartbeat raised and she kept sitting in the car and she felt like that she was frozen. All of a sudden her eyes went on her phone lying on the seat next to her. She quickly took it and called on the first name of the contact list, "Abhijeet". _

_"Abhijeet meri car ki fuel khatam ho gayi hai aur main yahan pe...jungle ki paas...kya tum abhi aa sacte ho please", she said hastily. _

_"Tarika! shant ho jao. Main abhi aya. Kaha ho tum?" he said._

_"Haan! Wo...highway se pehle jo jungle hai wahi par hoon. Abhijeet please thoda jaldi karo, mujhe bohot dar lag raha hai. Meri paas gun bhi nahi hai", her voice trembled._

_"Haan main abhi aya", he hung up and went to his car. He didn't even bother to change his night suit. He drove off and as fast as he could reached there. Seeing him Tarika got out of her car, locked the car's door and entered his one. In the car Tarika said nothing. Abhijeet tried to start the conversation but she was still feeling a bit shy and she was hesitating a bit cause it was late night. Soon it began to storm suddenly and strong wind was blowing too. Both Abhijeet and Tarika got astonished at the suddenness of the incident. They saw a cottage a little further so Abhijeet drove there swiftly for want of a shelter during the storm. They got out of the car and ran towards the cottage and knocked on the door with a bang but no one replied. Soon it began to rain heavily. Tarika noticed that there was a lock hanging on the door. She took off a clip from her hair and tried to unlock the door but failed. _

_"Lao idhar main karta hoon", Abhijeet said and took the clip from her. He unlocked the door and both got into the house and bolted the door from inside. _

_Both were drenched due to heavy rain. Suddenly thunder roared. Tarika had just closed the door and hearing the thunderbolt she turned back with a shiver and accidentally bumped into Abhijeet, who was standing right behind her. He held her arm firmly with one hand and put his other hand around her so that she didn't fell and with one hand Tarika ____clawed_ his shirt. Water was still dripping from her forehead to her cheeks and down her chin. "Ouch!" she looked up and found him staring at her. She was uncomfortable from the time she called him and then when she found him so close and staring at her she had a very strange feeling with which she wasn't acquainted with. Her heartbeat was raising at every second. They were never this close to each other. Abhijeet was looking at her without blinking. Her hair was wet and some were covering her face. Abhijeet left her arm and smoothed away a wisp of hair from her face and tucked them behind her ear. She closed her eyes and flinched at his touch. Again they heard a clap of thunder and Tarika got a sudden shiver that jerked her body and moved her out of that position. Abhijeet moved a few steps back and she walked near the glass window.

_After a while Abhijeet came to her with a towel which he found in a room of the cottage. Even there he couldn't help being investigative. Poor thing! Anyways, giving her the towel he went near the fireplace to set on the all the lights of the house were out. _

_When he was setting on the fire Tarika came near him slowly. A soft, faint light spread from the fireplace. The light fall on their faces and when Abhijeet turned his face towards her, he saw the unprecedented beauty of her's. She sat on the couch adjacent to the fireplace. She was rubbing her curls with the towel, ruffling them back and forth. Abhijeet didn't want to stare at her but her indefinable beauty made him look at her without blinking. Suddenly Tarika noticed that he was staring at her. She felt a deep sense of shy and embarrassment. She signed him by her eyes to sit down and he leaned himself in the couch beside her. Till than she had wrapped the towel around herself as her saree was all wet and the curves of her body were visible through the chiffon saree which was making her really uncomfortable. His gaze made her blush and her face turned reddish. That increased her beauty much more. He was gazing at her in awe. She stood up and walked near the fireplace and Abhijeet cleared his voice and averted his eyes. _

_It was still storming and the wind was gusting again and again outside and the glass of the windows were trembling due to strong wind. Tarika walked near the window again and gazed out through the glass window seeing the nature turning wild. And Abhijeet was sitting in the same place as he was. Suddenly Tarika felt her blouse hook was open. She didn't realize it before because she had covered herself with the towel. She was really nervous. She again walked across the room and sat beside Abhijeet. He looked at her and understood something was wrong with her. The nervousness and fear was clearly seen on her face. _

_"Kya hua, tum pareshaan lag rahi ho?" he asked. _

_"Kuch nahi!" she replied nervously. But how could she lie to an experienced CID officer. So he asked her again. _

_"Tarika! tum mujhe bata sakti ho. I mean agar tum batana nahi chahti toh it's okay", he told her, gently. Still she hesitated cause they were never so close that she could tell him but the problem was she couldn't reach the hook. So she told him._

_"Wo..ac-tually...wo Abhijeet meri...wo -" she stammered and averted her face. "Meri blouse ki hook khul gayi hai", she said her whole speech in one breath. He got embarrassed as he didn't even think something like that could happen. But he didn't want to embarrass her more._

_"Main laga doon?" he asked, raising his one eye-brow. But she couldn't see his expressions as she was staring at the flames of the fireplace nervously._

_"Uh! tum..!" she mumbled. He didn't wait for her reply and moved closer to her and removed the towel from her back. Tarika was nervous. Really nervous. She nearly went numb. Abhijeet closed the hook, unhooked it and closed it again. He teased her by touching her bare back, nuzzling. He was so close to her that her bare back could feel his body touching her's. She turned around and found him so close that a shiver went down her spine. She rested her eyes on his face which was getting closer at every second. She tried but couldn't stop him, not even herself though knowing it was not right but it was also true that they loved and trusted each other. He leaned over her and their lips locked. Thunder roared again and they parted. She slowly brushed her lips across his cheek, nose and near his lips. They didn't even realize what were they was mesmerized by her touch. _

_She stood up and had turned back. He too stood up and walked to her. He put his hands on her shoulder and slid them down feeling every inch of her arms and put them around her waist. Abhijeet kissed Tarika on neck. Tarika who is breathing heavily faced him again twisting herself around. He kissed her on forehead and eyes. As he was about to touch her lips again. Tarika was unable to take the tension and pushed him with a jerk and walked across the living room of the cottage. Abhijeet followed her or should I say she attracted him like magnet attracts iron. She went near a column and stood there holding it with both her hands. He approached towards her continued kissing her on her neck and shoulder and teased her by touching her bare back. Tarika flinched at the touches of his lips. She held his hand with which he was teasing her and put it round her waist and touched his face, not facing him. Touching her finger tip Abhijeet slowly slid down his hand down her arm and turned her towards him. He held up her neck and kissed on the front side of her neck and brushed his lips up to her cheek. Tarika was dazed, confused but she was also wanting to be close to him. Both were completely mesmerized by each other. His kisses made her skin feel weak. _

_Abhijeet lifted Tarika in arms and walked to the bed-room. Tarika draped her hands around his neck and reaching the room he put her on bed. Lying down on her he pinned her one hand above her head and put his other hand on her waist and she put her hand on his. They were close. Really close. Feeling each other from heart. Abhijeet rolled around and she was then on top of him and Tarika got up from bed. She moved forward but Abhijeet held the end of her saree. As Abhijeet pulled her closer by the end of her saree she had no other way but surrendering herself to him. He sat on the bed and made her sit in front of him and draped her saree around her and nibbled on her ear. Tarika was shivering. So he pulled her closer to his chest and made her lie down again and took off her saree. He pushed him close to her. She flinched and clutched the bed-sheet and her chest heaved and she took heavy breaths. After a while they fall asleep._

_Fate brought them together but later on the circumstances tore them apart. May be because God had thought something better for them ._

.

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**Author's Note : **Phew! Well this is my last story in _Fanfiction. _So really really hope you liked it. Do review.


	2. Chapter 2

**Flashback**

_Next morning when Abhijeet woke up he saw Tarika staring outside through the glass window. The sun was shining outside and the weather was bright but inside the room it was all gloomy. Abhijeet crawled out of the bed and walked towards her. She was lost in her own world that she didn't even realize he stood beside her. He kept gazing adoringly at her. At a time she felt his presence. She averted her face. She looked drawn and tired when she turned towards him. "Yeh kya ho gaya Abhijeet!" she whispered in sepulchral tones. He looked at her and then looked at the front part of the door onto which the sun had shone. "Tarika-", he waited for her response. "Uh -" she made an indistinct noise, still looking outside. _

_"Kya tumhe lagta hai jo kal raat ko hua wo galat tha ya phir -" Abhijeet was interrupted by Tarika. "Jo hua wo galat hua. Humne apni haad paar kiya hai. Humein aisa nahi karna chahiye tha", she said. Tarika had firmness in her voice which made Abhijeet uncomfortable. He messed up what he wanted to say but still he way trying his best._

_"Agar aaj main tumse humari shaadi ki baat karoon toh kahin tumhe aisa toh nahi lagega ki main raat mein jo hua uski waja se -" Tarika interrupted again,"Lagna toh aisa hi chahiye na?" _

_This time she was rude and her voice was harsh. For a while the shock of her words numbed him. He managed himself anyhow and held her by arm and made her face him. She looked woebegone and stressed. With his other hand he touched her face gently. She freed her with a jerk and moved a few steps back. She shook her head slightly. Things were difficult enough as they were. And then she felt as if his very touch made her skin crawl. Tarika was hurt as well as scared. She walked straight out of the room and made her way along the sepulchral corridor. She slammed the front door shut behind her. And Abhijeet, he was shocked, hurt and shattered as Tarika had misunderstood him and left him for good. He sat down in the sagging armchair placed right beside the window and closed his eyes. _

_._

_Meanwhile later Tarika was seen in the park near that cottage, sitting on a bench leaning her back against it and resting her head on the edge. The sun was rising with all its splendid beauty. But inside her a storm was taking place. She was frustrated. Her heart ached for him but her mind was telling her that he would marry her just to rectify mistake which they had made the previous night. Tear drops rolled down her cheeks and were shining like pearls when the ray of the sun fall on them._

_She reached her home after a while staying there at the park. It was about nine o'clock in the morning and Tarika was already late so she called Dr Salunkhe and told him that she wouldn't be able to come to the lab that day. _

_Abhijeet also managed himself but like Tarika he couldn't take leave as, if he did ACP and Daya would definitely want to know the reason and he couldn't be able to give them the answer. So he went to the bureau and from there to the crime scene._

_Abhijeet wasn't willing to go to the lab that day but ACP asked specifically him to collect the report from Salunkhe and had sent the others to different locations. So with a guilt he went to the lab. Getting downfrom the car he walked towards the lab with heavy steps. He peeped into the lab when Dr Salunkhe said, "Areh bhai ander aa jao, bahar kyun khade ho?" _

_Abhijeet got embarrassed and quickly entered inside and walked to Salunkhe without looking around. "Kya hua? Aaj Tarikaji ko nahi dhoond rahe ho?" dear old doctor laughed and that made Abhijeet even more uncomfortable and the expressions of his face kept changing at times. _

_"Areh Abhijeet! Yaar tum sarma kyun rahe ho? Main toh mazak kar raha tha", Salunkhe told him. Abhijeet tried to smile but all in vain. _

_"Haan wo...A..A..ACP sir né wo report lene ki liye bheja hai", he stammered._

_"Haan ye lo. Waise Abhijeet tum hakla kyun rahe ho? Kya hua?" Salunke raised his one eye brow. _

_"Ku..ku..kuch nahi..wo mujhe jaana hai", he said hurriedly to defend himself and swiftly escaped from there._

_._

_Tarika was lying on the sofa with her eyes closed and her hand on the forehead. She was feeling drowsy and suddenly the door bell rang. She let out a sound halfway between a snort and a sigh, stretched herself and went to the door to see who it was. She opened the door without even looking through the peep-hole and when she opened the door it was none but Abhijeet standing outside. She stood there frowning at him._

_He wanted to talk to her and clear all the misunderstandings. The incident the previous night had brought about a change in her behavior. It was important to sort that out. _

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**Flashback Over**

It was a mild morning and the sun was shining. As it was a holiday Abhika forced Tarika to play hide and seek with her. Tarika had some works to complete but Abhika was pleading a lot so she agreed to play with her.

"...8...9...10! Ready or not...here I come", yelled Tarika and opened her eyes. She walked across the hall. looking for her little girl. She tip toed towards the kitchen and looked around but she wasn't there. So she walked to her room and saw the curtains moving slightly and a small part of Abhika's frock was stood out the curtains so she slowly approached and dawned it with a slang. "Pakar liya!" she yelled kneeling down and hugging her little girl.

"Mamma apko kaise pata chal jaata hai ki main kaha hoon?" Abhika asked draping her little hands around her mother's neck, smiling.

"Mujhe kaise pata chalta hai?" she frowned and pretended to think. "Um..Kyun ki mein toh mamma hoon!", she said and tickled on Abhika's tummy and she burst out laughing.

"Okay ab apki baari", she said and turned toward the wall and closed her eyes and Tarika swiftly moved from there in order to hide herself. After counting till 10 Abhika opened her eyes and started searching for her mother. She looked in their room, under the beds, in the kitchen but Tarika wasn't there. There was pin drop silence in the house which made the little girl frightened. The emptiness in the house sent shivers down her spine and she began to cry. "Mamma...kahan ho aap!" she cried hard and listening to her daughter crying Tarika came out of the store-room, running and hugged her.

"Nahi baccha ro maat...mamma yahan hai", she comforted Abhika.

Abhika, who was crying burying her head in Tarika's neck, faced her mom and said, sniffing, "Mamma aap mujhe chode ke kahan chali gayi thi?"

"Kahin nahi beta. Main apni princess ko chod ke kahin ja sakti hoon kya?" she wiped away Abhika's tears and kissed on her forehead.

"Aap ko pata hai mamma main kitni dar gayi thi?"

"Sorry baby. Mamma sorry hai. Bohot sorry", Tarika held her ears.

"Aap sorry maat bolo", Abhika took Tarika's hand and hugged her firmly again and Tarika put her hands around her.

Tarika let out a sigh. Sometimes she wondered why did she give birth to this innocent little girl.

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**Flashback**

_Abhijeet sat on the sofa and Tarika stood in front of him crossing her arms over her chest. She was in intense grief but didn't want her sorrows reflect on her face. _

_"Tum yahan kyun aye ho? Koi kaam tha?" she tried to be rude but he felt a mild sadness in her voice. _

_"Kya hua tumhe? Hein! Aise kyun bhaag rahi ho mujhse? Subha se dekh raha hoon aur lab mein bhi nahi gay? Sab thik toh hai na?" he wanted to know in a very concerned voice. As it was very important for him to find the right answer to that question._

_She gave him a long cold stare and said, "Abhijeet please! mujhe aise sawal poocha maat karo. Main khud nahi jaanti kya ho raha hai mere saath"._

_"Tarika tum kuch jiada hi soch rahi ho", he stood up._

_"Main jiada soch rahi hoon!" Tarika frowned. "Tum nahi samjhoge. Ek ladki par kya bith ti hai -" she gulped air into her lungs and continued, "- wo tumhe main kabhi nahi samjha paungi". _

_"Tarika tum mujhe galat samajh rahi ho", he walked to her and held her one arm but she freed her with a jerk. "Humain ab shaadi ki baare mein soochna chahiye", he added._

_"Kyun !" she exclaimed with anger. "Kaal raat ki liye?" she wanted to know, shrilly._

_"Nahi !" he too raised his voice. "Kyun ki main tumse pyaar karta hoon", his voice trembled with emotions._

_Her eyes filled with tears. She looked at his eyes and all of a sudden broke into tears. He went to her and held her softly and hugged him tightly, crying. He patted on her hair to comfort her and she kept crying._

_._

_About four-month of their marriage in the evening Abhijeet was talking to his 'Khabri' about some drug racket over the phone. _

_"Tu sach bol raha hai na?" he asked him frowning. The khabri may be replied in affirmative so Abhijeet nodded unknowingly and then cut the call. After half an hour he was preparing for going out according to his khabri's news, Tarika came to him with his gun and passed it to him. He took the gun and loaded it. _

_"Kahan ja rahe ho?" she wanted to know._

_"Panchgani jaane ki raaste mein jō jungle hai wahan pe drugs ki dealing hone wali hai. Uss drug dealing ki paise desh drohio né terrorists ko dene ka wada kiya hai desh mein aatank fehlane ki liye. Wahi pe ja raha hoon", he replied tying his shoe-laces._

_"Oh! Aur kaun ja raha hai tumhare saath?" she asked._

_"Mera khabri", he told her._

_"Team ki koi aur nahi ja raha?" she frowned and sat beside him._

_"Nahi abhi tak kisi ko bataya nahin. Toh akele hi ja raha hoon. Wo Mandira wali case ko le kar sab log bohot pareshaan hai", he said putting his hand on her's._

_"Khana khake jaana. Pata nahi kab loutoge", Tarika said and she looked woebegone. _

_"Ya phir loutoge bhi ya nahi", Abhijeet laughed._

_"Abhijeet please aisi baatein maat kiya karo", she said angrily. "Main khana lagati hoon", she went to the kitchen with heavy heart._

_._

_While Abhijeet was having dinner, all the time Tarika was looking at him sadly with her big tearful eyes._

_"Abhijeet tum Daya ko toh at least inform kardo. Kuch gadbad ho gayi toh?" she paused, "Tumhe apni iss khabri pe bharosa toh hai na? Matlab...wo koi gadbad toh nahi karega na?" she wanted an answer._

_"Tarika fikar mat karo, Raghu mera bohot purana khabri hai. Usni aaj tak mujhe koi galat information nahi diya hai", he assured her but Tarika's heart was restless. She tried to smile but all in vain. She sat beside him till he was finished with his meal. _

_After supper when Abhijeet began to set out, Tarika trembled in fear and said, "Abhijeet, pata nahi aaj mujhe itna ajeeb kyun lag raha hai. Main tumhe rok bhi toh nahi sakti magar...", she took a deep breath and continued, "tum apna dhyaan rakhna"._

_"Tum bhi apna khayal rakhna aur mujhe agar aane mein der ho jaye ya phir kuch dino tak na loutu toh chinta maat karna. Chalta hoon", he laughed, patting on her cheek and hurried out of the house and walked down the street. Tarika stood at the doorway until he got into the car. She then went into the house. When Abhijeet drove off she turned again to see him but he was already out of sight then. _

_Tarika suddenly felt very weepy. She walked to the dining room and slumped into a chair. Tarika began to weep, covering her face with both hands. Meanwhile later she arrived in her bedroom, dabbing her eyes with a tissue paper. Suddenly she had a feeling that the world around her was spinning. She held her head with her hand and she realized that she was fainting. The first thing she thought of doing was to lie down or sit down somewhere so she wouldn't fall and hurt herself. Tarika somehow managed to get near the bed and sat on it. Her body was becoming numb so she lied down and then -BLANK._

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	3. Chapter 3

**Couple of months later**

Tarika and Abhika needed to do some shopping for their house. So at a misty morning they were walking in the street of Delhi. As Abhika passed along she looked in at the windows of several shops, and saw a great variety of different sorts of things. She wanted to stop to look at them and buy them all, without knowing their uses or even without knowing their names. But Tarika was in a hurry so she didn't let Abhika to stop and told her to walk fast. They went to the grocery shop. After Tarika was done shopping they came out of the shop. The street was really crowded. Tarika was holding her bags in a hand and with her other hand she was holding Abhika's hand tightly so that she couldn't get lost in the crowd. But all of a sudden Abhika slipt out of Tarika's grip.

"Abhika!" Tarika called her but she couldn't find her little girl. Tear drops began to roll down her cheeks.

Looking around Abhika realized that she was lost. "Mamma! maammaa!" she yelled but there came no reply from the crowd in front of her. She began to walk and went to a park nearby, sobbing.

"Mamma! mamma kahan ho aap?" she yelled in a very scared tone. Her babyish voice trembled as she yelled. People turned around hearing her voice. A crowd gathered around her and from the crowd a guy came out and knelt next to her.

"Kya hua beta?" he wanted to know, patting on Abhika's cheeks. Abhika had a teddy bear in her hand which Tarika bought for her just then. She squeezed the teddy close to her chest and looked at the man with doubtful eyes. The man smiled seeing the innocence in her eyes and said, "Daro nahi beta. Kya hua? Apki mommi kahan hai?"

His gentle voice made Abhika feel at ease. "Pata nahi!" she said. Her voice was hardly above whisper.

"Pata nahi matlab?" he frowned.

"Bheer mein mamma kahan chali gayi", she began sobbing.

"Areh! nahi beta ro maat. Hum milke mamma ko dhund lenge. Thik hai? Rona bandh karo", he stood up and held Abhika's hand firmly as a father would hold his daughter's hand. Soon her sobs ceased but she was still sniffing.

Both Abhika and that guy looked here and there but the place was so crowded that they couldn't find Tarika anywhere.

On the other side, Tarika was looking for Abhika. She looked here, there everywhere but no sign of Abhika. She showed people on the road Abhika's photo but no response. Suddenly she tripped over a stone and was about to fall but someone held her from back. When she turned her face to see who it was and also to thank him, she got a shock. It was Abhijeet. Beside him there was Abhika. Tarika managed to stand up still and Abhika ran to her mother. Hugged her tight so that she didn't get lost again.

Tarika looked at Abhijeet with exploded eyes. She was about to say something but before she could speak up a beautiful woman came out from behind and stood beside him.

"Aditya ! Mil gayi uss bachchi ki maa?" she asked him.

"Haan! Ye rahi", he pointed towards Tarika and the beautiful woman standing beside him joined her hands together and said, "Namaste!"

Tarika gave a slight nod and Abhijeet messed up Abhika's hair with his hand and said, "Agli baar se mamma ka haat maat chodna. Thik hai?" Abhika smiled and hid her face in Tarika's dress. He looked at Tarika. "Chalta hoon. Waise apki beti bohot pyaari hai", he told her and walked away with the woman. And Tarika, she was spellbound, kept staring at the way Abhijeet walked through, holding their daughter firmly.

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**Flashback**

_Next morning when she woke up Abhijeet still hadn't returned home. She became a bit worried. But she Abhijeet told her that he might not be able to reach home for a few days so she didn't let her brain to take any stress. Soon Tarika got herself ready to head out for lab. In a hurry she rushed out of the house without having breakfast. So when she reached he lab she was feeling very weak. She was trembling a bit and Dr Salunkhe noticed it fortunately._

_"Tarika tum thik toh ho na?" he asked._

_"Haan sir, bilkul thik hoon", she replied in a bare voice._

_"Lag toh nahi raha", Salunkhe frowned. "Tum bohot kamzor lag rahi ho. Breakfast kiya?" _

_"Nahi sir wo...subah uthne mein der ho gayi thi toh breakfast nahi kiya", she told him._

_"Kya yaar! Ye koi baat hui. Ye test-tube mujhe do aur tum jaake breakfast karo", he ordered her taking the test-tube away from her._

_"Sir mein thik hoon", she tried to defend._

_"Tarika!" he gave a bossy look. "It's an order"._

_Tarika sighed and walked out of the lab and headed to the canteen. She ordered chocolate brownies and a black coffee for her. She was hungry so she had her meal with full appetite but suddenly she felt nauseous. Tarika stood up and walked fast towards the washroom. Getting inside she stood in front of the wash basin and vomited up what she had just eatten. She had a very sick feeling. Her view was blurring as if she would again fall. But she didn't fell. Tarika turned on the tap and splashed water on her face which made her feel a little better. _

_._

_That day she went to Dr Bohra, her family doctor to find out what happened to her. She told doctor about all the problems she was facing for nearly a month. Doctor checked her and then when they went back to the doctor's cabin Dr Bohra smiled and told her that she was expecting a baby. She was pregnant. Tarika couldn't believe her own ears. _

_"Are you sure doctor?"she asked as she wanted to confirm._

_"Ji haan. Congratulations", Dr Bohra gave Tarika a pleasant smile. _

_"Waise doctor kitne mahine hui hai?" Tarika asked._

_"7 weeks", Dr told her. "Aur haan Tarika abhi apko apna jiada dhyaan rakhna padega", she added._

_"Thank you doctor", she said nearly whispering and walked out of the cabin. "Kahan ho tum Abhijeet! Jaldi se aa jao. Bohot badi good news deni hai tumhe", she thought to herself._

_._

**Flashback over**

"Daya! Kya tum Delhi aa sakte ho?" Tarika asked Daya over the phone.

"Haan bilkul aa sakta hoon, lekin baat kya hai?" he asked.

"Kuch maat poocho baas aa jao. Mujhe tumse baat karni hai", she told him.

"Haan ! toh phone pe batao", he said.

"Nahi bata sakti phone pe. Ek baar Delhi aa jao phir bataungi", she said and as he agreed she hung up. And sat on the edge of the window, looking at the vast blue sky where white clouds were playing hide and seek with each other. She couldn't but let out a sigh. Why her! Why did all this happen only with her.

.

**Flashback**

_Tarika collected the DNA report from the Central Forensic Lab and seeing the report she was shocked. She was so shocked that she went numb. She stood there still, holding the report in her hands. Her hands were trembling and the report fall from her hand on the ground. She felt the lab was spinning around her and before she could think or do anything else she fall down._

_The stuffs came running near her and made her lie on the sofa and sprinkled water drops on her face. Slowly she opened her eyes. She was shattered. All her dreams had crashed down. Tarika could feel a hole in her heart which might never be filled._

_._

_The lights were turned out. A faint light came in the room through the window and fall on the floor. It increased the darkness of the room rather than lighten it up. The curtains were flattering slightly due to night breeze. Tarika was sitting on the edge of the bed. She was crying, crying really hard. Her loosely tied hair was falling over her shoulder. She wiped her shoulder. She wiped away the tear drops running down her face and walked towards the window and stood before it. And the soft light fall on her face. She held the corner of a curtain firmly, closed her teary eyes and tear drops slipped down her cheeks. Suddenly she remembered something and walk straight to the small temple situated at a corner of her house. She sat in front of it and joined her hands together. _

_"Aisa kyun kiya mere saath? Aisi kya galti ho gayi thi mujhse?" she sniffed. She couldn't bring out a single word out of her mouth anymore because of crying hard._

_._

_CID team got a call the previous day that a car was found near the jungle of __Panchgani. The car was honeycombed with bullets and near the car blood was fallen on the ground. When they reached there to investigate they found that the car was Abhijeet's __Mahindra Scorpio. They searched every inch of the jungle but couldn't trace Abhijeet. Suddenly Rajat's eyes went on the bullet embedded in the tree next to Abhijeet's car. When he took a look at it he found blood traces on it. _

_"Sir!" he called Daya. When Daya and the other officers came to him he showed them the bullet. "Abhijeet sir ka toh kuch pata nahi chala lekin ye goli mili hai", he told them. CID officers collected the blood sample and the bullet and sent it to the forensic lab.  
_

_._

**Flashback over**

"Kya keh rahi ho tum Tarika", exclaimed Daya.

"Ye sach hai", Tarika told him.

"Lekin aisa kaise ho sakta hai?" he wanted to know.

"Wo toh mujhe bhi nahi pata. Lekin aisa hi hua hai. Abhijeet zinda hai", she replied.

Abhika was in her room, painting. She came out of her room and saw Daya. She ran out of the room and jumped in his lap, yelling "Daya uncle!"

Daya was about to say something to Tarika when Abhika appeared. He hugged her and looked at Tarika, taking a deep breath.

.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note** :Guys this story ends here. Hope you enjoyed reading it.

* * *

**Flashback**

_It was nearly 8 o'clock at night and the road on the way to __Panchgani was as solitude as a crematorium. There was no sign of man nearby except a white car coming behind Abhijeet's car. After a while __he felt a bit doubtful __about the white car coming behind Abhijeet's Mahindra Scorpio. He could see it coming behind his car for a while through the rear view mirror. It was weird how the car was coming behind him in such a secluded road for more than an hour. He frowned and rubbed his jaw with his thumb. He wanted to confirm whether the car was really following him or no. So after going a little further all of a sudden he turned the car n opposite direction and started going straight ahead. A few minutes later through the rear view mirror he saw that the car was also trying to reverse its direction. It left no doubt that the white car was actually following him. He had no idea who they were and why were they following him._

_Before comprehending anything, all of a sudden the car speed up and reached his car's speed level. Overtaking Abhijeet's Mahindra Scorpio it blocked the road crosswise. Abhijeet stopped his car. He saw two armed men getting out of the car. Abhijeet knew what to do. He put his hand on the shift knob and took the car in reverse gear and pressed on the accelerator with all his strength. Casting off a tyre burned smell his car rushed backwards uncontrolled. He drove back the car swiftly and went inside the jungle. He heard that those men were firing at him. Bullets hit the windshield of Abhijeet's car and the glasses broke down with a jingling sound. He speed up the car but accidentally it hit with a tree and his head banged with the steering wheel. _

_Abhijeet could feel his body growing numb but he knew if he had lost his senses then he might not be able to escape alive. He was trembling but somehow got out of the car. He saw the white car approaching and brought out his gun and fired at the tyre of that car hiding himself behind his Mahindra Scorpio. But those goons got out of the car and rushed to him. They had a little distance between them when they fired at him continuously. One of the bullets passed through Abhijeet's chest before embedding itself in a tree. His legs trembled and he stepped back. He fell to the ground, and the gun tumbled out of his hand. His chest heaved for want of air as he couldn't breath of pain. He made a deep inarticulate sound in response to the pain and closed his eyes. Strangely enough the last thing he could remember before he losing his conscious was his beloved Tarika._

**Flashback Over**

A few days later, after dropping Abhika to school Tarika went to the mall to buy some dresses for Abhika as her birthday was approaching. She bought some dresses for Abhika went to the counter and paid for them. And when she was walking out the store bumped with someone and her bags fall on the ground. Tarika was in a hurry so she didn't even bother to look at the person whom she bumped in with.

"Ouch! Dikhai nahi deta?" she sat down and began collecting her stuffs which were lying on the ground. When she was gathering her bags she saw that the person was also sitting down near her and helped her gathering her stuffs. And when she looked up to thank him she was stunt. It was _him_. Abhijeet.

"Areh! aap toh wahi hai na...uss din apki beti kho gayi thi..." he said with wonder. She wasn't in a state to speak up, just nodded.

"Main Aditya, Aditya Srivastava", he stretched his hand.

"Tarika", she touched his hand softly, as if his hand was made out of glass and it might break into pieces.

"Apki beti bohot pyaaari hai. Kahan hai wo?" he asked putting his hands in his pockets.

"Wo school mein hai", she paused. "Aap yahan?"

"Ji haan, main yahi paas mein ek meeting attend karne aya tha toh socha thoda tehelke jaoon", he smiled. "Aur aap?" he asked.

"Abhika ki birthday aa rahi hai toh us hi ki liye shopping karne ayi thi", she told him.

"Oh okay..." he paused for a second and looked at Tarika very carefully. "Waise mujhe lagta hai ki main né apko kahin dekha hai", he told her. She looked at him, straight to his eyes. Affliction reflected in her eyes. But she covered it with a fake smile.

"Mujhe kahan dekhenge!" she paused and added "Waise Abhika toh ek hi din mein apka fan ban gayi. Accha hua aap mil gaye. Ayiye na kal Abhika ki birthday party pe. Usko bohot accha lagega, aur mujhe bhi".

"Waise mujhe kuch kaam tha...phir bhi main koushish karunga", he said.

So Tarika passed him her address and phone number and asked him to try his best. He too replied in affirmative. So she left and went home. On her way home, in the car tears were running down her face. She didn't wipe them off and went on crying silently.

.

**Flashback**

_Maya was heading towards her home through the same road at the same time. When she heard the sounds of gun firing she braked her car hard and saw a white car coming out of the jungle and rushed away, gusting off a tyre burnt smell. She looked at the car until it went out of sight, and then slowly got out of her car. hesitating for a moment she began walking to the way the car came out from. _

_"Aah!" she heard a groan coming from not very far from her. She looked around, then her gaze fall on the bloody ground she was standing on. A scream broke from her lips and she covered her mouth. At the next minute she saw Abhijeet lying on the ground. She ran to him and checked his pulse and put her forefinger in front of his nose to see if he was breathing. No, he was not death, just unconscious he was. But his pulse rate was reducing. Maya was anxious. She wanted to save him because she still loved him, he was the one who taught her what love was. Because of him she was then living a respectful life. So with difficulties she took Abhijeet to her car, opened the car's door and made him lie on the back seat. Soon she drove off to a hospital nearby. When Maya found a hospital, it was late night and they were far away from the city Mumbai. There were a few stuffs roaming around the hospital area aimlessly. They helped her to get him out of the car and someone went to call the doctor. It would've been a police case but Maya handled the situation quite well. She didn't want to risk his life again after rescuing him. _

_._

_A nurse was waiting upon Abhijeet when his eyelids trembled. Slowly he opened his eyes. The view in front of him was still blurred. He felt a sheer pain in his head. He made an inarticulate noise under his breath. His hand reached his head automatically, which was covered with white bandage which had tints of blood on it. _

_Seeing him opening his eyes the nurse went to call the doctor from his cabin. Abhijeet was alone in the room. He tried to get up from the bed but he found his head spinning. And all of a sudden unknown faces flashed before his mind's eye, that too blurred. A frown appeared on his forehead and he held his head with both his hands. He tried to remember something but couldn't remember anything. NOTHING. Not even his name, who he was...Just some faces, nothing else._

_._

_"Dekhiya sir (head) mein chot lagne ki waja se inhe apni ateet ki baare mein kuch yaad nahi hai. Haan magar kuch kuch baatein hai jo unki subconsious mind mein stored hai. Jiski madat se shayet future mein unhe apni ateet ki baare mein kuch yaad aa jaye", the doctor explained everything to Maya, who was sitting on a chair in front of the doctor, worried. _

_"Ab..." she wanted to know. _

_"Abhi toh mujhe bas ek hi raasta nazar aa raha hai", the doctor told her._

_"Wo kya doctor?" Maya asked hestily._

_"Intezaar!" the doctor replied which brought a_ _frown on her forehead_.

"_Kya bahar kahin pe iska treatment ho sakta hai?" Maya asked. Her voice was astonished._

_"Dekiye! filhaal toh hum sirf intezaar kar sakte hai. Baaki upar waale ki marzi", the doctor ended the conversation there and walked out the cabin as he had to attend another patient, leaving Maya alone in the room, worn out._

_._

_Maya had moved out from the dark world of crime after meeting Abhijeet years ago and now he was again in front of her. She loved him, unconditionally. She still regretted for the fact that once upon a time she used her love to commit crimes. She had an enormous burden in her heart. Letting out a long suffering sigh Maya stood up and went to Abhijeet's cabin. He was sleeping in peace due to the dose of meperidine injection. She gazed at him restlessly. "I love you Abhijeet" she murmured and a drop of tear sprinkled in the corner of her eye._

_._

_Abhijeet was no more Abhijeet. He was then Aditya Srivastava. A successful business person and lived in Canada. He had to come to India for a very important business meeting. _

_Six years had passed and still he wasn't aware of his past. And for six years Maya and him were together. Not as a couple but as friends. Though Maya loved him she never forced him to accept her. And Abhijeet too told her that he couldn't get into any kind of relation until he gets back his memory. Not that he didn't like her but he hesitated, for his past. He was afraid that his past might affect their future if they got into a relationship. _

.


End file.
